Good way to get rid of surplus cannon fodder...-----------------------------------------------------------U.S. military action in Venezuela may become a necessity

By Rick ScottMay 10

I am not interested in “nation-building.” And as a Navy veteran, I am verycautious when it comes to the idea of using military force. I hate todisappoint those who want the United States to right all the world’s wrongs,but long ago I came to terms with the fact that we cannot do that.

I do want the United States to continue to be a beacon of hope and freedom,but we simply cannot commit military forces unless we absolutely must.

Which brings me to Venezuela. I was at the border between Colombia andVenezuela a few weeks ago. What is happening in Venezuela is a humantragedy. Let’s look at the facts:

The United Nations estimates that 3.4 million refugees have fled thecountry. Almost 90 percent of the population lives in poverty, and shortagesof food and medicine are becoming desperate.

This is a man-made crisis. Nicolás Maduro, the ruthless dictator ofVenezuela, is killing his own citizens, including women and children.Venezuela has a legitimate constitutional leader: Juan Guaidó, who, aspresident of the National Assembly, the last democratically elected body inthe country, is constitutionally required to serve as interim presidentuntil new free and fair elections take place. President Trump has skillfullycalled the world’s attention to the situation, and has amassed the supportof more than 50 countries that recognize Guaidó as the legitimate president.

Venezuelans are the losers in the political conflict between the governmentand the opposition, and the United States is making it worse.

As an aside, Democrats would do well to study Venezuela as they contemplatetheir current flirtation with the most discredited idea from the 20thcentury: socialism.

But, as I said, it is not the United States’ job to send our young men andwomen into harm’s way to right all of the world’s wrongs. So even if youconclude that the above list of facts does not justify the intervention ofthe United States, there is a massive and far-reaching problem I haven’tmentioned yet: our own self-interest.

Venezuela is in our hemisphere. Russian troops are already in Venezuela.

Do you think it would be in our national interest to allow the Russians — orthe Cubans, the Iranians or Chinese — to install military bases there? Navalports? Should we allow Hezbollah to roam free?

We must do all in our power to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Similarly, we don’t want a Syria in our hemisphere — a place where foreignpowers and terrorist groups can set up camp and sow discord throughout thecontinent. Consider the ramifications this would have for our southernborder and for the stability of the United States. This is not complicated.

There used to be a thing called the Monroe Doctrine; it was taught inhistory classes. President James Monroe made it clear in 1823 in his annualspeech to Congress that the Western Hemisphere was closed to futurecolonization, and any attempt by a foreign power to oppress or control anynation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a hostile act againstthe United States.

To that I say: amen. I have no interest in dictating anything to the peopleof Venezuela. But I absolutely do believe we should dictate a few things tothe Russians, the Cubans and the Chinese. No, we will not allow you to setup shop in Venezuela. We will not allow you to take over that country, andwe will not allow you to establish any military presence in our hemisphere.We should never allow another Cuba, and we must not stick our heads in thesand and pretend we don’t know what is going on.

When it comes to our security, the current migration crisis from CentralAmerica on our southern border will pale in comparison with the mass exodusthe Maduro regime will unleash under the direction of Russia and Cuba.Dictators in Latin America have effectively used mass migration against theUnited States time and time again.

To be clear — I respect those who are cautious about the dangers of militaryintervention. I am generally among them. But it’s time to also acknowledgethat inaction can be an equally dangerous course, if not more so. Doingnothing always seems safe, though it can be the most reckless andirresponsible course.

If the cause of freedom is crushed in Venezuela, and it results in foreignpowers establishing a launching pad and outpost there for their hostilityagainst the United States, we will look back on the spring of 2019 andwonder how it is that we were so shortsighted, how we ignored the wisdom ofPresident Monroe. I pray that is not the case.

Good way to get rid of surplus cannon fodder...-----------------------------------------------------------U.S. military action in Venezuela may become a necessity

By Rick ScottMay 10

I am not interested in “nation-building.” And as a Navy veteran, I am verycautious when it comes to the idea of using military force. I hate todisappoint those who want the United States to right all the world’s wrongs,but long ago I came to terms with the fact that we cannot do that.

I do want the United States to continue to be a beacon of hope and freedom,but we simply cannot commit military forces unless we absolutely must.

Which brings me to Venezuela. I was at the border between Colombia andVenezuela a few weeks ago. What is happening in Venezuela is a humantragedy. Let’s look at the facts:

The United Nations estimates that 3.4 million refugees have fled thecountry. Almost 90 percent of the population lives in poverty, and shortagesof food and medicine are becoming desperate.

This is a man-made crisis. Nicolás Maduro, the ruthless dictator ofVenezuela, is killing his own citizens, including women and children.Venezuela has a legitimate constitutional leader: Juan Guaidó, who, aspresident of the National Assembly, the last democratically elected body inthe country, is constitutionally required to serve as interim presidentuntil new free and fair elections take place. President Trump has skillfullycalled the world’s attention to the situation, and has amassed the supportof more than 50 countries that recognize Guaidó as the legitimate president.

Venezuelans are the losers in the political conflict between the governmentand the opposition, and the United States is making it worse.

As an aside, Democrats would do well to study Venezuela as they contemplatetheir current flirtation with the most discredited idea from the 20thcentury: socialism.

But, as I said, it is not the United States’ job to send our young men andwomen into harm’s way to right all of the world’s wrongs. So even if youconclude that the above list of facts does not justify the intervention ofthe United States, there is a massive and far-reaching problem I haven’tmentioned yet: our own self-interest.

Venezuela is in our hemisphere. Russian troops are already in Venezuela.

Do you think it would be in our national interest to allow the Russians — orthe Cubans, the Iranians or Chinese — to install military bases there? Navalports? Should we allow Hezbollah to roam free?

We must do all in our power to ensure that doesn’t happen.

Similarly, we don’t want a Syria in our hemisphere — a place where foreignpowers and terrorist groups can set up camp and sow discord throughout thecontinent. Consider the ramifications this would have for our southernborder and for the stability of the United States. This is not complicated.

There used to be a thing called the Monroe Doctrine; it was taught inhistory classes. President James Monroe made it clear in 1823 in his annualspeech to Congress that the Western Hemisphere was closed to futurecolonization, and any attempt by a foreign power to oppress or control anynation in the Western Hemisphere would be viewed as a hostile act againstthe United States.

To that I say: amen. I have no interest in dictating anything to the peopleof Venezuela. But I absolutely do believe we should dictate a few things tothe Russians, the Cubans and the Chinese. No, we will not allow you to setup shop in Venezuela. We will not allow you to take over that country, andwe will not allow you to establish any military presence in our hemisphere.We should never allow another Cuba, and we must not stick our heads in thesand and pretend we don’t know what is going on.

When it comes to our security, the current migration crisis from CentralAmerica on our southern border will pale in comparison with the mass exodusthe Maduro regime will unleash under the direction of Russia and Cuba.Dictators in Latin America have effectively used mass migration against theUnited States time and time again.

To be clear — I respect those who are cautious about the dangers of militaryintervention. I am generally among them. But it’s time to also acknowledgethat inaction can be an equally dangerous course, if not more so. Doingnothing always seems safe, though it can be the most reckless andirresponsible course.

If the cause of freedom is crushed in Venezuela, and it results in foreignpowers establishing a launching pad and outpost there for their hostilityagainst the United States, we will look back on the spring of 2019 andwonder how it is that we were so shortsighted, how we ignored the wisdom ofPresident Monroe. I pray that is not the case.